1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for processing viewing usage data in a set top box and in particular to a method and system for the collection, storage, and processing of viewing usage data that reduces the cost of performing the function while simultaneously allowing enhanced results.
2. Description of the Related Art
The collection, storage, and processing of viewing usage data provides valuable information to a multi-channel video distributor. Through understanding its customers' viewing habits and programming preferences, a distributor can increase revenues by offering them more desirable programming and more interesting advertisements. Furthermore, other companies (such as advertisers, programming providers and television networks) are willing to pay for audience measurement data, representing additional revenue sources for the distributor.
In the past, individual “raw” viewing usage data (such as remote control clicks) would be stored on a set-top box (STB) that was pre-programmed to collect such data. This STB would often be single purposed for viewing usage data collection and would not include any television signal reception and decoding functions. This raw data was then transferred on a regular basis (e.g., a nightly telephone call) to a centralized data mining system. The centralized data mining system would have an extremely large data storage capability and data processing capability, to allow the generation of reports.
FIG. 1 is an overview of a sample architecture for a centralized viewing usage data service and a single video distribution system 100 of the prior art. The video distribution system 100 comprises a control center 102 in communication with an uplink center 104 via a ground or other link 114 and with a subscriber receiver station 110 via a public switched telephone network (PSTN) or other link 120. The control center 102 provides program material (e.g. video programs, audio programs and data) and services to a subscriber receiver station 110 via the uplink center 104 and satellite 108.
The uplink center 104 receives program material and services from the control center 102. Uplink center 104 then multiplexes and modulates the program material and services, and using an uplink antenna 106 and transmitter 105, transmits the program material and program control information to the satellite 108. The satellite receives and processes, this information, and transmits the program material and services to the subscriber receiver station 110 via downlink 118 using transmitter 107. The subscriber receiving station 110 receives this information using the outdoor unit (ODU) 112, which may include a subscriber antenna and a low noise block converter (LNB).
The subscriber receiving station 110 may include a set-top box that may be controlled by a user 122 (e.g., using a remote control). The user may then enjoy services and program material (e.g., displayed through a video monitor or other appropriate presentation device) that has been processed using receiver/decoder functionality 124 within the STB. The subscriber receiving station 110 (or STB within subscriber receiving station 110) is pre-programmed with data collection instructions 126 to collect individual “raw” viewing usage data (such as remote control clicks or channel number and date/time) from user 122. The data collected is stored in set-top box memory 128, which is often of small capacity.
The raw usage data stored in memory 128 is then transferred on a regular pre-programmed basis to a data mining system 130 located centrally (e.g., at a broadcast head end/control center 102 or at service headquarters). The data transfer may occur via telephone (e.g., PSTN 120), via a cable modem, or other high-speed connection, or via wireless methods. The centralized data mining system 130 has an extremely large data storage capability 134 and data processing capability 132. A staff responsible for viewing usage reporting operates the data mining system 130 through user control terminals 136. This staff provides data manipulation and reporting instructions to the data mining system 130, which then generates the required reports.
However, using this prior art methodology, the collection, storage and processing of audience usage data is a costly undertaking. A system for collecting the data in each viewer's home is needed, costing many hundreds of dollars per household. A method for transferring all of the raw usage data, representing thousands of bits of data per STB, to the distributor is also required. Finally, a centralized data mining system, which has large data storage and significant processing capability, is needed. Since the costs of collection and processing data is prohibitively expensive, viewing usage data systems often collect data from small subsets of the viewing population and rely on probabilistic methods to apply the results to a larger audience.
Accordingly, what is needed is an efficient and inexpensive method for collecting, storing, and processing viewing usage data for use by programming providers.